Excerpt from Venture Capital Industry Profile

Companies in this industry invest capital in new business ventures. Major venture capital firms include Accel Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, New Enterprise Associates, and Sequoia Capital (all based in the US), as well as Amadeus Capital Partners (UK), Globis Capital Partners (Japan), Jerusalem Venture Partners (Israel), and Nexus Venture Partners (India).

The US and Europe are the biggest venture hubs in the world. China, India, and Israel are growing markets for venture capital. As China's wealth increases, Chinese investment in startups should grow.

The US venture capital industry includes about 520 active firms that invest between $20 billion and $30 billion annually, according to the National Venture Capital Association. There is about $200 billion of venture capital under management in the US.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven primarily by the pace of technological innovation and the number of companies created to commercialize new technologies. The profitability of individual companies depends on successfully choosing and managing a portfolio of investments. Large firms have advantages in attracting capital, developing expertise in multiple technology markets, and funding large deals. Small companies can compete effectively by concentrating on specific market sectors or geographic areas.

Individual, or angel, investors, and large companies with strategic interests in early-stage companies are also sources of new venture funding.